Section 8-604 — EQUIVALENT FACILITATION

Use of other designs and technologies, or deviation from particular technical and scoping requirements, are permitted if the application of the alternative provisions contained in Section 8-603 would threaten or destroy the historical significance or characterdefining features of the historical building or property.

1. Such alternatives shall be applied only on an item-by- item or a case-by-case basis.
2. Access provided by experiences, services, functions, materials and resources through methods including, but not limited to, maps, plans, videos, virtual reality and related equipment, at accessible levels. The alternative design and/or technologies used will provide substantially equivalent or greater accessibility to, and usability of, the facility.
3. The official charged with the enforcement of the standards shall document the reasons for the application of the design and/or technologies and their effect on the historical significance or character-defining features. Such documentation shall be in accordance with Section 8-602.2, Item 2, and shall include the opinion and comments of state or local accessibility officials, and the opinion and comments of representative local groups of people with disabilities. Such documentation shall be retained in the permanent file of the enforcing agency. Copies of the required documentation should be available at the facility upon request.

Note: For commercial facilities and places of public accommodation (Title III entities).

Equivalent facilitation for an element of a building or property when applied as a waiver of an ADA accessibility requirement will not be entitled to the Federal Department of Justice certification of this code as rebuttable evidence of compliance for that element.

12 2025 CALIFORNIA HISTORICAL BUILDING CODE

on Jul 18, 2025 11:14 AM (CDT) THEREUNDER.